3D sticker effects are actually simple and easy, but really nice and useful. This quick tip will show you how to create an editable, glossy 3D sticker text effect, using smart objects and layer styles. Let's get started!

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial:

Alba font

Concrete wall pattern by Atle Mo

1. Creating the Background

Step 1

Create a new 770 x 490px document. Set the Foreground color to #3f797d and the Background color to #80b2bb, pick the Gradient Tool, click the Linear Gradient icon in the Options bar, and then click and drag from the bottom of the document to its top to create the gradient background.

Then go to Filter > Convert for Smart Filters.

Step 2

Double click the smart object Background layer to apply a Pattern Overlay effect using these settings:

Blend Mode: Soft Light

Pattern: Concrete wall

This will style the Background.

2. Creating the Text and Its Smart Object Layers

Step 1

Create the text in Black using the font Alba, and the font Size 120pt.

Step 2

Duplicate the text layer, rename it to Stroke, and rename the copy to Text.

Step 3

Double click the Stroke layer to apply a Stroke effect using the following settings:

Size: 14

Color: #dcdcdc

Step 4

This will create the outer stroke. Make sure that the stroke leaves no empty areas between the letters. If it does, then double click the layer again to increase the stroke Size until there are no empty areas.

Step 5

Right click each of the two layers you have (the Stroke and Text layers), and choose Convert to Smart Object.

Duplicate the Text layer, and change the copy's Fill value to 0.

Step 6

Duplicate the Text copy layer and the Stroke Layer. Then change the Stroke copy layer's Fill value to 0, and place it on top of all layers.

3. Styling the Stroke Layer

Double click the Stroke layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

Size: 10

Uncheck the Use Global Light box

Angle: 79

Altitude: 37

Check the Anti-aliased box

Shadow Mode - Color: #2f959d

Step 2

Add an Inner Shadow with these settings:

Distance: 0

Choke: 30

Size: 3

Step 3

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

Opacity: 47%

Distance: 5

Size: 6

This will style the bottom layer of the stroke.

4. Styling the Original Text Layer

Double click the original Text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

Size: 7

Uncheck the Use Global Light box

Angle: 117

Altitude: 69

Check the Anti-aliased box

Step 2

Add an Inner Shadow with these settings:

Opacity: 35%

Distance: 0

Size: 5

Step 3

Add a Color Overlay with these settings:

Color: #ea326e

This is where you get to choose the sticker's text color, so you can use any color you like.

This will style the main text layer.

5. Styling the First Copy Text Layer

Double click the first copy Text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

Size: 5

Uncheck the Use Global Light box

Angle: 0

Altitude: 69

Check the Anti-aliased box

Shadow Mode - Opacity: 25%

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

Just check the Anti-aliased box.

This will enhance the glossy effect.

6. Styling the Second Copy Text Layer

Double click the second copy Text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

Style: Outer Bevel

Size: 7

Uncheck the Use Global Light box

Angle: 117

Altitude: 69

Check the Anti-aliased box

Highlight Mode - Opacity: 100%

Shadow Mode - Opacity: 100%

Step 2

Add a Gradient Overlay with these settings:

Blend Mode: Soft Light

Opacity: 30%

This will create the outer stroke of the inner text, giving the illusion of a 3D effect.

7. Styling the Top Stroke Layer

Double click the copy Stroke layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

Size: 3

Soften: 2

Uncheck the Use Global Light box

Angle: -153

Altitude: 69

Check the Anti-aliased box

Highlight Mode: Vivid Light

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

Just check the Anti-aliased box.

This will style the final layer of the effect.

Congratulations! You're Done

In this tutorial, we created a simple background, and a couple of text and stroke layers, that we converted into smart objects.

Then we styled those layers using a bunch of layer styles, to end up with a glossy 3D sticker text effect.